[/caption]Friday, SpaceX is attempting to launch the Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 is a two stage, liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene powered launch vehicle.
The goal of the launch is to gain information and insight into space travel for the more general public as well as more insight into rocketry in general.
SpaceX is providing a live webcast of the launch events here.
Regardless if the launch is successful or not, this will give a nice insight into the commercial spaceflight industry. We will be able to learn a lot from this launch.
As of June 04, 2010 10:30 Pacific Time, the rocket has not launched yet. It seems to have shut down just after ignition. SpaceX says that in a situation like this, the vehicle puts itself into a sort of "safe mode". They may be able to "recycle" the launch count and try again to launch the spacecraft.
The SpaceX website states, "If we have a bad day, it will be disappointing, but one launch does not make or break SpaceX as a company, nor commercial spaceflight as an industry. The Atlas rocket only succeeded on its 13th flight, and today it is the most reliable vehicle in the American fleet, with a record better than Shuttle."
What they say is definitely true, however we do indeed hope that this launch will be successful. That way, public space travel will be closer to reality and we will be able to use the vehicle to carry equipment into space or even, astronauts to the International Space Station.
The vehicle is designed to make increases in reliability, cost, flight environment and time to launch.
Update: June 04, 2010 10:57 Pacific Time
SpaceX says, "We are hearing from Mission Control that the pad abort involved an out-of-limit startup parameter. We still have time in today's launch window for another attempt."
Update: June 04, 2010 10:58 Pacific Time
They are now standing by for a new T zero time from Mission Control.
Update: June 04, 2010 11:31 Pacific Time
Mission Control has reset the T time to 15 minutes.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:35 Pacific Time
T time down to 10 minutes.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:36 Pacific Time
T time down to 9 minutes.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:37 Pacific Time
T minus 8 minutes.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:39 Pacific Time
The SpaceX rocket is awaiting launch.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:40 Pacific Time
T minus 5 minutes. 5 minutes to launch!
Update: June 14, 2010 11:43 Pacific Time
T minus 2 minutes. 120 seconds to launch.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:44 Pacific Time
T minus 1 minute. 60 seconds to launch.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:44:30 Pacific Time
T minus 30 seconds, 30 seconds to launch.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:45 Pacific Time
T minus 0 Launch!
Update: June 14, 2010 11:45 Pacific Time
Lift Off! The Falcon has come off the ground and has passed the towers.
Update: June 04, 2010 11:46 Pacific Time
"T+ 00:01:13 Falcon 9 is approaching maximum dynamic pressure (Max Q)"
[caption id="attachment_2333" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Second Stage of the Falcon 9, Photo Credit: SpaceX"]
[/caption][caption id="attachment_2335" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="You Can See Earth, Photo Credit: SpaceX"]
[/caption]Update: June 14, 2010 11:53 Pacific Time
It's been 7 minutes and everything is functioning normally.
Update: June 14, 2010 11:54 Pacific Time
The Falcon 9 has made Earth orbit. Congratulations SpaceX!
That is the end of this live update feed. More information, photos and videos will be available later today on www.SpaceX.com.
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